Cheer Up

The older us'ms - Hee Haw generation - can sing this well: "Gloom, despair and agony on me - Deep dark depression, excessive misery ..." This is not a good song to have ... stuck in your head! Sadly, there are many Believers who forget the hope and encouragement we have in Christ, and end humming right along. The night before Jesus died, surely one of the darkest moments in His earthly life, Jesus was The Encourager. He began with this words, "Do not let your heart be troubled" (John 14:1 NASB) then after many life-giving words He concluded with "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NASB). Jesus not only promised peace for the troubled soul, the one overcome with despair and discouragement, He showed us how to encourage one another and others. The opportunities set before you and I each day are pathways to offer Life-Giving Water and Bread. The born-again child of God knows and understands that Jesus is all the troubled heart so cheer up so we can be the ... cheerer-upper of someone else.

Move With Compassion

How does your heart react to someone sitting alone, away from the crowd, possibly feeling completely left out of life? Honestly, such a sight gives my heart a jolt! The Apostle Paul reminds God's children how they are are to be clothed: "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience" (Colossians 3:12 ESV). One of my favorite descriptions of Jesus is found in Matthew 14:14; when Jesus saw the crowd "He had compassion on them." Several [literal] translations read He was "moved with compassion" - I like that translation. Jesus is the model of how compassion should move us into action! He first had compassion the people then that compassion proved itself genuine as He was moved to heal the sick among them. Barbara Johnson wrote "God Always Needs More Pipe - Think of a gardener irrigating his garden. He is able to channel life-giving water to all areas except to one little dying plant way over in the corner. The gardener knows that if he had just one more piece of pipe he could run it over to that wilting plant and transform it with new life. So it is with the Mater Gardener. Because He chooses to minister through us, He needs many lengths of pipe to bless persons here, there, and all around." (from Splashes of Joy in the Cesspools of Life). I'm fairly certain you and I both someone who may be wilting for lack of the Life-Giving love of Jesus; I'm equally confident you and I can be that one more piece of pipe. Be moved with compassion.

No Breaks

Spring break isn't just for a select few: I've enjoyed it as a retiree! A "break" from the usual with an added bonus of dedicated time with family and friends, reading, naps and such. One break that must never come, however, is a day-off from time with The Father! God's Word says, "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8 ESV). Perhaps there's no greater danger than a spiritual day-off! Such a "break" opens the way for all kinds of stuff that lead to temptation and buy-ins to some otherwise bad and destructive habits. When God says "see to it," He is actually calling us to practical wisdom: be aware, be discerning and perceptive, looking for and observing the foolishness and lies of the enemy who will use them to take our minds and spirits hostage and slave to wrong things. Be ever alert and stay on-target by the power of (1) The Holy Spirit that lives within us [as true Believers], and (2) the effective words of Scripture. Faithfulness to Christ demands steadfastness in staying near The Father - absolutely ... no breaks!

Give Up Your Enemy!

Have you ever been blindsided by someone's hostility and wondered "where did that come from?" Perhaps the hostility was brought-on by something you said or did quite unintentionally. Truth is, we don't always choose our enemies nor see them coming. Jesus knew well feelings of rejection and hostility; He Himself was the target of an angry mob, even betrayed by one believed to be His friend and follower yet Jesus loved them all to the end ... all the way to the cross. Jesus said, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you" (Luke 6:27-28). How do we apply these principals, put them into practice? First, we must surrender the all rights to selfishly defend ourselves with our natrual responses - repaying evil for evil. Proverbs 25:21-22 says, "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you." These words echo what Jesus said in Luke! We never know the power of a kind and gentle response as God uses it to still anger and hostility in a troubled soul. It is God alone Who brings peace - He alone changes a heart, and He often uses our kind responses. God knows your enemy perfectly, and He knows how to bring peace from chaos. Do your part - in obedience ... give up your enemy!

Bless Your Enemies

When someone sneezes, we might hear these words - "bless you," which should be followed by the words "excuse me." Jesus uses the word "bless" in a bolder and more resolute way: He said, "But I say to you who hear ... bless those who curse you." (Luke 6:27). Instead of acting unfavorably toward those who act unfavorably toward us, Jesus says we are to show to them the kindness and favor God has shown to us, which is immeasurably abundant! "Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil." (Luke 6:35 ESV). Don't miss those last few words ... "He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil." As we might expect, from the cross Jesus showed kindness to His mother BUT He also was merciful and kind to those who nailed Him to the cross and to the thief next to Him. Hear what Jesus said - See what Jesus did ... bless your enemies.